The Jazz Gallery Presents: Henry Cole

Henry Cole is a poly-cultural, shape-shifting drummer whose versatile and polyrhythmic style seems to be able to fit seamlessly into any. In that same vein, this Friday and Saturday, The Jazz Gallery is proud to present two different ensembles of Cole's, featuring different musicians and instrumentation.https://youtu.be/TIeQcPkUBpACole is a native of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, and began playing percussion at a young age. Initially inspired by Latin percussionists like Giovanni Hidalgo and Ray Barretto, Cole discovered a passion for Jazz and improvised music while attending Berklee College of Music in Boston. After moving back to Puerto Rico and cultivating a reputation for himself in the small but mighty San Juan scene, Cole moved to New York City and quickly became one of the most in-demand sidemen in the city. He has occupied the drum chair in the working bands of luminaries such as Miguel Zenon, David Sanchez, Fabian Almazan, Stephon Harris, Nicholas Payton, and Alfredo Rodriguez. No matter the setting, from Almazan's heady and ruminative ballads to Zenon's Rhumba rave-ups, Cole's style is centered by a deep pocket.https://youtu.be/2wPZjWM2fcUCole is also a prolific composer and a skilled arranger; in 2011 Cole's Afrobeat Collective put out Roots Before Branches, a sprawling electro afro-funk opus that features crunchy guitar voicings, percussive horn lines, and ethereal synths. Cole will present two different groups this coming weekend at The Jazz Gallery, both playing a new set of his original compositions in two (presumably) more acoustic contexts. On Friday, March 25th, Cole will be joined by Charles Altura on guitar, Rich Perry on saxophone, and Daryl Johns on bass; and on Saturday, March 26th, Cole's trio will feature Luis Perdomo on piano and John Benitez on bass.Drummer Henry Cole performs at The Jazz Gallery on Friday, March 25th, and Saturday, March 26th, 2016. On Friday, Mr. Cole is joined by Charles Altura on guitar, Rich Perry on saxophone, and Daryl Johns on bass. On Saturday, he is joined by Luis Perdomo on piano and John Benitez on bass. Sets are at 7:30 and 9:30 P.M. each night. $22 general admission ($12 for members) for each set. Purchase tickets here.